More bridges and viaducts

Gone, but not forgotten

Bridge Demolition

Demolition work commenced last week on the disused railway viaduct which used to link Foulshiels Colliery, Stoneyburn, with Loganlea Colliery, Addiewell and on to the main line at Woodmuir Junction.

With both of these collieries closed, this viaduct has been used by pedestrians, as both Addiewell and Stoneyburn are but a short distance by this bridge across the Breich Burn, thereby preventing a two mile detour by road. Addiewell workers were also able to avail themselves of buses which are more frequent at Stoneyburn.

Very dangerous

The bridge has become very dangerous, as vandals were pushing the sides into the burn, and hardly any parapet was left along each side. The burn forms the boundary between Mid and West Lothian. [It did, until 1975, when Addiewell was moved into West Lothian].

What with the new houses being built at Loganlea and Addiewell, perhaps both Councils will get together and provide some means of crossing this burn and maintaining the short cut.

[This viaduct can be seen in the background of the photograph immediately below.]

60 foot drop

The other high railway viaduct which is also disused between Addiewell and Stoneyburn is receiving the attention of vandals also, as planking is being removed from the centre of it, rendering it most dangerous to cross, especially at night, as a 60 foot drop awaits anyone who misses his footing.

[This viaduct is shown in the colour picture below. It was built in the early days of the Oil Works to connect the Addiewell works and the Bathgate Chemical Works.]

Midlothian Advertiser , 17 February 1967, page 1.

We've received a query about the railways in the Stoneyburn and Addiewell district, particularly the Cuthill crossing, just east of Stoneyburn village.

'The NB /LNER Addiewell Oil Works branch (running north/south) and the Caley / LMS West Calder Loop (running east/west) intersected at the east end of Stoneyburn. Both railways appear to be on the same level, so how did they crosss each other?'

'The 1897 map NS96 shows that two railways lines crossed on the same level in a cutting at NS985629. The map also shows a signal box (SB0 and Signals (SP) at the crossing. ... Railways crossing on the same level like this are very unusual.'

If anyone has any information about the crossing, the signal box or other buildings beside it, or any stories or memories of the crossing, please let us know, and we'll pass them on to the enquirer.

The McInally family of Stoneyburn after their daughter's First Communion. In the background you can see the west of the two railway viaducts. Also visible in the background is Foulshiels Bing, and part of Cuthill Crescent in Stoneyburn. 1960.

John Kelly. All rights reserved. S1. 103.

The two railway viaducts over the Breich Water can be seen in the top left hand area of the map. The left one carried the West Calder loop line, a mineral line to Loganlea Colliery. The other one connected Addiewell Oil Works to a line north up to Bathgate.

Ordnance Survey, 1957.

This railway viaduct between Addiewell and Stoneyburn was demolished 16 June 1978.

Painting by Mr Hilson. Reproduced by permission of John B. Murray.

Site of the Cuthill railway viaduct on the Addiewell loop line. The site of the other line, the West Calder loop line, leading in to Loganlea Colliery, can be seen on the far left.

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